July 15 will see the 2014 Built Environment Meets Parliament (BEMP) summit, an interactive forum for politicians and industry experts to consider design as integral to national productivity.

Held at Canberra’s Parliament House, the summit is an annual conversation on funding and infrastructure, climate adaptation, technology and building innovations, in Australia and internationally, and an exploration on how these can positively influence our economy, society and our environment.

Since its inception in 2008, CEOs from the Australian Institute of Architects, Green Building Council of Australia, the Planning Institute of Australia and the Property Council of Australia have worked in collaboration with key decision makers in Canberra to host the conference that they believe bridges the gap between industry, politicians and the wider public.

Each year the host CEOs deliver a summit that attempts to expose built environment policy issues to federal political decision makers.

The BEMP also segues from the Australian Award in Urban Design (AAUD) gala evening, which is scheduled for Monday 14 July, 2014 at the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra. Pictured is The Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability which won the 2013 Great Place Award. Images: Simon Wood

This year, the BEMP organisation says they will focus on the following design particulars:

Design that joins up our cities and better connects people, ideas and commerce
Design that delivers greater resilience and sustainability
Design that radically transforms the way we build cities and communities
Design that simultaneously boosts productivity
Design that opens up clever approaches to infrastructure financing and funding
Design that elevates liveability and inclusivity

The full-day summit has featured over 80 speakers since its official launch by Annabelle Crabb at Parliament House in 2008.

The 2014 Keynote speakers are:

Hon. Greg Hunt MP, Federal Minister for the Environment
Barbara Norman, University of Canberra
Brendan Nelson, Principal of MWH Global
John Thwaites, Chair of Australian Building Codes Board and ClimateWorks Australia
Rene Van Meeuwen, Founder of Felix design firm
Garry Bowditch, CEO of the SMART Infrastructure Facility, University of Wollongong
Tanya Cox, Director of Green Building Council Australia

BEMP also segues from the Australian Award in Urban Design (AAUD) gala evening, which is scheduled for Monday 14 July, 2014 at the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra.

Registrations for the BEMP Summit and AAUD Dinner are now open via the BEMP website.

Nathan Johnson

Australian-building-design-on-centre-stage-as-Buil-1732031601.png

Let’s connect!